This year is the 100th anniversary of the tourist village of Manitou Beach, and there is no shortage of celebrations commemorating the momentous achievement.
Manitou Beach sits on the shores of Little Manitou Lake, a saltwater lake fed by underground springs, which makes the water high in various salts and gives it relaxing properties.
Little Manitou Lake is a saltwater lake, meaning swimming is as easy as floating. (supplied by Watrous Manitou Beach Tourism)The centennial celebration has many events planned over the summer to celebrate Manitou Beach and area, the most recent being an open house at Camp Easter Seals over the May long weekend, and some Canada Day celebrations on July 1.
Upcoming centennial events include the inaugural Big Float on July 13, where the record for most people floating on Little Manitou Lake will be set.
“We thought it'd be a fun way to commemorate [the 100th anniversary],” said Brendan Manz, community development officer at Manitou Beach Tourism.
On the following weekend, Danceland — Watrous’s famous dance hall with a dance floor built on horsehair — is hosting a Homecoming Celebration. The Hot Tamales will be performing on July 19 and the band England’s tribute show called the "Ed Sullivan Show & Dance," on July 20.
On August 8-11th, Manitou Beach is once again hosting the Manitou Maple Madness: a world-class chainsaw carving competition that has competitors take a locally-sourced piece of maple wood and turn it into a masterpiece. The carved artwork will then stay in the community after the competition, as a display.
“We have carvers coming from right across Canada and, I believe, a couple even from the U.S. are coming up, so it's a fun event,” said Manz.
The weekend will include the competition, alongside beer gardens, food vendors, and entertainment for the whole family — and, of course, all of the regular attractions that Watrous-Manitou Beach has to offer.
On Aug, 11, Maple Madness will close out with a centennial picnic, as it is the actual anniversary of Manitou Beach’s official incorporation and the culmination of the centennial excitement. The picnic will feature a community barbecue, with live musical entertainment and speeches from dignitaries that evening.
“It's going to be a big centennial for us,” said Manz, of the coming events. “We'll be posting updates on all of the different events coming up on our media channels, as well as our website.”
A number of other, worthwhile events will also be taking place throughout the summer, and the Watrous Manitou Beach Tourism Facebook page is a great place to keep up with what’s going on in the area.
